Arm wrestling is a popular sport among many, especially young ones. This sport is 50% strength and 50% techniques. With the right skills, one will be able to win at arm wrestling.

Arm wrestling is a sport that involves two persons facing each other with their elbows bent on a table and hands firmly gripped. Each of them will attempt to bring the other person’s hands down. This sport is often used to test strength and prove who is stronger.

The game is more than just brute strength. You do not have to be stronger than the other person to win.  Some basic techniques can improve your chances of winning. Some of these include the break arm position, the hook, the grip, and the thumbs down. You can also visit: gripstrength.com for a breakdown of the training exercise needed to accomplish these techniques.

This article will discuss some of the steps involved in arm wrestling. You will also find helpful tips that can help you win duels with opponents. Please read on as we explain further

Steps to Take in Arm Wrestling

Like every other sport, there are steps you must take if you want to win an arm wrestle competition. Some of these steps include:

Before Wrestling

Positioning

Before the wrestling match starts, you need to have a proper position and posture. This will help you gain leverage over your opponent. Some important body postures to maintain are:

Foot Position

The position you should place your foot depends on your dominant hand. If you wrestle with your right hand, you need to place your right foot forward. But if you use your left arm to wrestle, then place your left foot forward. Using your dominant foot helps you to pull some torso and body weight into your arm.

You can watch videos showing arm wrestling foot positioning to have a good understanding of the best position to take.

Hip Position

Whether you are sitting or standing, ensure that your stomach is close to the wrestling table. To achieve this, allow your hips to touch the table. If your body is close to the wrestling table, you will be able to effectively pull the arm of your opponent down. 

Arm Position

Keep your arm forward and close to your body. This will give you maximum strength over the opponent. In this position, you can use your arm and shoulder strength while wrestling rather than depending only on your arm’s strength.

Hand Position

In this position, you grip the hands of your opponent. Let your hand be slightly higher over theirs. In this way, you can have leverage and bring their arm down during the match.

During the Wrestling

When the match starts, there are important steps to take if you want to win.

Weaken Your Opponents Wrist

The first thing to do when the match begins is to weaken the opponent’s wrist. You achieve this by allowing your palm to slowly come close to your face. This will allow your wrist to bend near your shoulders. Having this posture will bend your opponent’s wrist and tighten your grip on their hands.

Let the Other Person Tire Out

Sometimes, your opponent might be too strong for you. This can make weakening his/her wrist difficult. In that case, try to keep your wrist behind so they find it hard to pull down. Hold onto that position till they wear out.

To make this technique perfect, maintain your confidence. Do not let your opponent realize that they are proving stronger than you. Looking confident can get them to tire out. This technique of confidence is known as the illusion of transparency. 

The Top-roll Technique

Once the person tires out, pull your hand close to your body. This will weaken their hands and reduce their leverage. Try to place pressure on the other person’s hand. In this way, it becomes hard for them to move their muscles.

The Hook Technique

This move works well when you and your opponent are equal in strength. In hook, you curl your wrist inwards. This extends your opponent’s arm. You need a lot of strength to carry out this move. You will have to force the person’s wrist back so that you can gain greater leverage.

Tips That Can Help You Win at an Arm Wrestle

To win, you will need to build up your arm muscle. Here are two important tips that can help:

Having a Diet Plan

What better way to build muscle weight than watching what you eat. Having a meal plan can help you gain arm strength. Arm wrestlers are expected to eat 6 to 7 meals instead of having three heavy meals in a day. 

These diets should include fish, milk, eggs, high protein foods, and lean meat. You can also include some healthy carbohydrates like pasta, rice, bread, cereals, and potatoes. Nuts, fruits, and vegetables are also important to add to the diet.

More importantly, remember to stay hydrated. Drink a lot of water. It is recommended to take at least 8 cups of water in a day. The role of water in improving human health cannot be underestimated. You can find some of the benefits of water in human health here.

Training Exercise

This training should involve more than building arm muscles. You need to train your entire body. If your body is strong, your arms will also be strong. Some important exercises to try out include:

Pull-ups

In this exercise, you stay under the chin-up bar and hold onto it using an underhand grip. Allow your legs to cross before pulling yourself up slowly. Afterward, extend your shoulders and arms before lowering yourself under the chin-up bar. Repeat this about 15 times till you get tired.

Curling Your Wrist

The hook technique requires a flexible and strong wrist. This exercise will help you achieve this. To train your wrist, use dumbbells or wrist hammers. Sit on an exercise bench and firmly grip a dumbbell. Let your forearm be on your thigh and your wrist should hang off your knee. Repeat this 8 to 12 times for each arm.

Conclusion

If you want to win at arm wrestling, you need to have a routine exercise program. Also, do not forget to have a diet plan. Sticking to a diet and regular workout can help you become a pro in the game.